Car-coupling.



y s. :13. PRICE.

GAR GOUPLING.

APPLIUATION FILED JUNE 5, 1901. BENEWED NOV. 23. 1903. N0 MODEL.

2 SHEETS-'SHEET 1.

IlIIlllllllllllllllllllr''IIIIIIIIIIIHH Hulgfgwmnunnm Z ab.PATENTED'MA-R. a, 1904.

No.- 754,387. P'ATENTBD MAR. s, 1904.

f s. B. PRICE.

GAR GOIUPLING. APPLIOATIONRILED JUNE 6, 1901. EENBWED NOV. 23. 1903.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

N0 MODEL.

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Inmo/727%;- @m l Patented March 8, 1904.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

STEPHEN B. PRICE, OF EAGLE MILLS, KENTUCKY, ASSIGNOR OF CNE-HALF TCALEXANDER RAPHAL MATTINGLY, OF EAGLE MILLS, KENTUCKY.

cAR-oouPLlNe.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 754,387, dated March 8,1904. Application led June 5, 1901. Renewed November 23, 1903. SerialNo. 182,408. (No model.)

To @ZZ whom it may concern.-

Beit known that I, STEPHEN B. PRICE, a citizen of the United States,residing at Eagle Mills, in the county of Larue and State of Kentucky,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Car-Couplings; andI do declare the following to be a full, clear, and eX- act descriptionof the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to whichit appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon,which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to automatic carcouplings of the class in which thedraw-bar at each end of a car is provided with a pivoted hook, a recessfor the reception of a similar hook to be carried by the draw-bar of anadjoining car, means for directing the lockinghooks toa position toconnect two cars, and means for disconnecting the hooks.

The object of my invention is to produce a coupling of the classreferred to having improved means for simultaneously raising the hooksof adjacent oars out of coupling engagement with the respective drawheads and which can be operated from either side or from the top of acar, thus rendering it unnecessary for an operative to go between thecars.

Further, the object of the invention is to produce a car-coupling whichwhen desired may be prevented from coupling on the coming together oftwo cars bearing the devices.

Further, the object of the invention is to provide a car-coupling of thecharacter referred to in which each hook is mounted in such manner thatits pivot-pin will serve as the coupling-pin for the hook on theadjacent -draw-bar.

The invention is illustrated in the accom.

panying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a side view of the ends of twoVcars having my couplings applied thereto, showing in full lines thepositions of the parts when the draw-bars of the respective cars areconnected and by dotted lines the positions assumed when the parts aredisconnected. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the coupling, showing the same ina coupled position. Fig. 3 is a plan view of a coupling-head with themovable parts removed therefrom. Fig. i is a perspective View of themeans for raising the coupling-hooks out of contact with the respectivedraw-heads. Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the curved plate by whichthe coupling-` hooks are directed to a locking position and by whichthey are moved from such position, and Fig. 6 is a'perspective view ofthe means by which the parts of the coupling are retained in position toprevent coupling of cars when brought together.

In the drawings, A denotes the draw-head of my improved coupling, whichis capable of a limited longitudinal movement independently of the car.The rear portion of the draw-head is reduced and is supported by andslides through the braces c and .The `reduced portion or stemA of thedraw-head is rectangular adjacent to the brace a, the eX- treme innerend a being cylindrical. It is fastened by a pinafter passing throughbrace I), and by this means the entire 'draw-head is retained inposition on the car. j

A coiled spring B is arranged around the cylindrical portion of thedraw-head and abuts at one end against the brace b and at the other endagainst the rectangular portion of the reduced portion of the draw-head,forming a buffer to prevent jar to the cars when the drawheads arebrought together.

Each draw-head is provided in its upper surface with two parallelrecesses-one, A2, for the reception of the inner end of a couplinghookand the other, A3, for the reception of Vthe outer end of thecoupling-hook of an adjacent draw-head. To prevent accumulation of dirtor water which may become frozen in the recess A3, which would preventintroduction of the coupling-hook, the bottom of the recess A3 isprovided with an outlet-opening c3, allowing for the free escape of suchmatter.

C C denote the coupling-hooks, one being pivotally attached to eachdraw-head, its insys ner end being arranged in the recess A2 and securedtherein by the pm D, passing through the hook and through both recesses,as shown in the drawings. Each coupling-hook has its outer end beveledon its lower face and terminates in an offset c, having a plane innerface c, forming a flat surface for engagement with the pin D of theopposite draw-head.

It will be seen that each coupling-hook is pivoted in the right side ofeach draw-head,and therefore when two draw-heads are brought togetherthe beveled end of each hook rides over the pin D in each recess A3 inthe opposite draw-head until the offset c passes over the pin, when thehook drops, bringing the plane surface c into contact with the pin,effecting a locking.

To insure the descent of the hooks after riding over the pins D, springsE, attached to the partition between the recesses in each draw-head andbearing on the upper face of the coupling hooks, are provided. Thesesprings constantly exercise a pressure tol depress the outer portions ofthe coupling-hooks, and thus serve both to retain the hooks in a lockedposition after two cars are coupled and also to return the hooks to aposition ready for coupling after being released by the means employedfor uncoupling.

It will be seen by an inspection of the drawings that the recesses A3for the reception of the hook ends are somewhat broader at their outerends than those in which the hooks are pivoted. This form is adopted topermit the pivoting in the outer ends of the recesses A3 of the curvedplates G. These plates, which at their inner ends are of a width toenter the recesses, increase in width toward their outer ends, and theynormally rest on the extensions a* from the draw-heads. At their outerends the plates are of a width to extend beneath both the coupling-hookreceived into the recess A3 and the hook pivoted in the recess A2. Theupper curved surfaces of the plates adapt them for directing withoutshock or jar the hook of an adjacent car to a position to engage the pinD. Besides this function the plate serves to raise and release bothlockinghooks used to connect two cars. By simply raising the plates bothhooks are raised from engagement with the transverse pins of therespective draw-heads and a curved surface over which the hooks mayfreely move as cars are separated is provided.

J J denote operating levers or rods bent into the form of bails, thehorizontal portions 7' of which are journaled in bearings or hangers K,fixed on the ends of the cars. The rods or levers J are formed aboutmidway of their lengths withl loop extensions f2, which pass around andbeneath the curved plates E, as shown. the rods or levers J extend alongthe sides of the cars and are provided at their ends withoutward-extending arms f3 for grasping. By

From the horizontal portions j bar L is held in place by a bracket M,se-p cured to the upper part of the car, and the bracket also serves tohold said bar in a raised position by bringing the catch or notch jl",with which the bar is provided, into contact with it.

F denotes a spring attached to the side of a car and having on its innerface a projection f, beveled on both its upper and lower sides, so thatwhen the end of the lever J is raised or lowered little resistance isoffered to this movement; but the projection retains the end againstdisplacement by reason of jarring, and thus the curved plates are heldin an elevated position and the coupling put out of use until the springis released. When cars are placed on a siding from which they are not tobe removed, the coupler may thus be put out of operation, and thebringing together of two draw-heads will not effect a coupling.

Inoperating when the cars are brought together for coupling the forwardbeveled ends of the coupling-hooks ride up the inclined plates attachedto the front ends of the drawheads against the tension of the springs Eand are by these springs forced into contact with the coupling-pinsafter passing over the plates. In uncoupling all that is necessary forthe bralreman standing at the side of the car or on the top of it is todepress the rear end of the rod J or raise the curved bar L by thehandle, when the rod J will raise the curved plate G, thus raising bothcouplinghooks clear ofthe coupling-pins.

Should it be desired for any reason that the cars be prevented fromcoupling when coming together, the projection f on springs F is allowedto remain above the rod or the notch on the bar L to remain over thebracket M, thus retaining the plate and hooks in an elevated position.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with theaccompanying drawings, the construction and operation of my improvedcoupling will be readily understood.

Various changes in form and in the minor details of construction may beresorted to without departing from the principle or sacrificing any ofthe advantages of the invention.

Having thus described my invention, whatI claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is-

A car-coupling comprising a draw-head having two recesses therein and anextension pro- IOO jecting beyond the recesses, a coupling-hook pivotedin one of the recesses, a plate having,` an upper curved surface andhaving its outer end bearing on the extension from the drawhead pivotedin the other recess, a spring attached to the draw-head and bearing onthe coupling-hook, a bail arranged beneath the plate, a spring attachedto the side of the car and having a beveled projection, and an eX- lOtension from the bail arranged between the spring and the car andadapted to corne in contact With the projection in its up-and-downmovement, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I alx my signature in presence of tWo Witnesses.

STEPHEN B. PRICE.

Witnesses D. H. SMITH, F. R. TWYMAN.

